Electric-lamp socket



Ma 31m 1927.

y b D. N. THOMPSON ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET Filed July 23. 1920 2Sheets-Sheet l MUM:

INVEN TOR.

A TTORN'EYS D. N. THOMPSON BLECTRIS LAN? BUCKET Filed July as. 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A TIORNEYS,

' Patna-d May 31, 1927.

UNITED 'STATES PATENT or-F les.

DON'N. THOMPSON, OI SYBAGUSE, NEW YORK, A SSIGNOB TO PASS a SEYMOUR me,

] SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01' NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

Application fled July 23, 1920. Serial No. 398,511.

This invention relates to lamp sockets having intermediate pieces orblocksof insulation interposed between the opposing heads or buttonsof'insulation, which pieces or blocks support theswitch mechanism; andthe invention has for its object a lamp socket in which the-intermediatepieces or blocks of 'insulation' are relieved of the duty of supportingthe heads or buttons in spaced apart 110 relation and are protectedagainst breakage,

' and in which variations in their len he and troubles due tovariations, due to ring of the blocks of insulation or' porcelain, areof 'no consequence. a

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed;

In describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings, in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a referable form of this invention, the samebeing shown asa pull chain, candle socket, the contiguous part of acandelabra being shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the lamp socket. Figures3 and 4, (Sheet 1) are inner face views of the op osing heads or buttonsof 39 the body of the lam socket.

Figures 5 and 6 (gheet 2) are outer and 1 inner face views respectively,of one of the intermediate blocks, one of the metal up- .ri hts beingshown in F1 6. i

i re 7 is a detail vlew of one of the meta u rights. p

This amp socket comprises a body including opposing heads or buttonmeans forsupporting the heads and holding them in to spaced apartrelation, and switch supporting -means of insulation interposed betweenthe heads and supported by the former means, whereby theswitchsupporting means of insulation is relieved of supporting theheadsand whereby variations therein are unimportant. 1 and 2 designatethe opposing heads or buttons, these heads being usually discoidal inform and formedof suitable insulation, usually porcelain.

The means for supporting the heads 1 and 2 in spaced apart relation andrelieving the intermediate piece or pieces ofinsulation of such duty andstrain, comprises a metal frame preferably including two opposingelements 3, 4, which for convenience are referred to herein as uprights,as they stand upright when the lamp socket is used as .shown,in acandelabra. Each upright 3 or The switch supporting means of insulam;

13 tion comprises opposing elongated blocks 9,

10, of insulation interposed between the heads, 1,2, but supported bythe uprights 3, 4, the blocks being spaced apart to provide space forthe switch mechanism, and to permit access to such mechanism Theseblocks are part-cylindrical, or segments of a cylinder, and theircylindric faces are sub. stantially flush with the peripheries of theheads 1, 2. These blocks are also preferably formed with lengthwiseperipheral grooves or recesses 11 in which theuprights lie, this featurefacilitatin the holdin oi the blocks, rigid withthe uprights. The locksare additionally secured to the u rights by screws 12 extendingtransversely t rough the blocks and the uprights.

The heads 1, 2, and blocks 9, 10, interfit or lap at the ends of theblocks and as here shown, the heads are formed with projections ortongues 13, 14 extending between the end portions of the blocks.

The uprights 3, 4 are provided with wire terminals .or binding devicesas screws 15 near their lower ends and one of these uprights 3, iselectrically connected to the outer lamp terminal or shell 16 by thescrew 7. The central lamp terminal 17 is electrically connected in anywell known-manner to a conductor 18 located on the inner side of thehead 1 and connected to a switch contact 19 on the inner side of theblock 10 between the blocks 9, 10. The upright 3 is electricallyconnected to a switch contact 19 by the screw 12 which mechanicallysecures the block 9 100 .to the upright 3. This contact is mounted Aquarterrotation of the switch arm, ef

fected b a pull on the chain, turns the wings o the switch arm 21between the wings of the contact 19, so that the switch is off and anadditional quarter rotation brings the win s of arm 21 into contact withthe-wings of t e contact 19 and theswitch into on position.

The switch mechanism per se, forms no part of this invention and anysuitable mechanism may be used in lieu thereof.

The shaft 22 extends at one end into a socket 25 in the block 4 and isrovided with a square slotted head 26 at its other end, which head isexposed and accessible through a work hole 27 provided in the upright 4,the upright being provided with an enlar ement 28 in which the work holeis forme The square head seats in a countersunk socket 29 at the innerend of the work hole and is pressed toward its seat by a spring 30 inthe socket 25. For convenience and econom in manufacture, the uprights3, 4, are dup 'cates and can be made with one set of dies although it isnot necessary that the upright 3 be formed with the enlargement or thework hole.

A hickey 31 of any well known construction is mounted on the outer orlower face of the head 1, in any suitable manner and the tube 32 of thefixture is connected to the hickey. 33 is a casing enclosing thestructure which casing may be of any well known or suitableconstruction. The feed wires are brought out of the end of the tube 32and are connected to the wire terminals on the' It is particularlyadvantageous in that owing to the use of reinforcing means or upri htsfor the intermediate blocks of insulation, supportin the switchmechanism, breakage of these blocks is prevented and lopsidedness of thebody due to variations of the blocks, avoided.

What I claim is! 1. An electric lamp socket, comprisinga body, includingopposing heads of insulation, metal uprights supporting the heads inspaced-apart relation, and being secured at their ends to the heads,blocks ofinsulation carried, by and secured to the uprights andextending lengthwise of such uprights substantially the entire distancebetween the heads, lamp terminals mounted on one of the heads, one lampterminal being electrically connected to one of the uprights, a switchcontact located on the inner side of said head, and the other lampterminal being connected to such switch contact, and switch mechanismincluding a switch contact carried by one of the blocks and electricallyconnected to the other upright, and a movable switch member carried bythe blocks between the same, and coacting with the switch contacts, theuprights being provided with wire terminals.

2. An electric lamp socket comprising a body including opposing heads ofinsulation, metal uprights supporting the same in spaced apart relationand secured at their ends thereto, blocks of insulation'carried by theuprights between the heads, lamp terminals mounted on one of the heads,one

lamp terminal being electrically connected to one of the uprights, andthe other lamp terminal being electrically connected to a switch contactlocated on the inner side of said head, and switch mechanism including aswitch contact carried by one of the blocks and electrically connectedto the other upright and a movable switch member carried by the blocksbetween the same and coacting with said contacts, the uprights beingformed with wire terminals, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Syracuse, in thecounty of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 24th day of June, 1920.

DON N. THQMPSON.

